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Birthday girl helps the homeless in Mississippi

George Elementary first-grader Madelyn Collins just turned 7 and is already thinking more about her community than herself.

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Updated: 10:34 AM CDT Sep 27, 2013

Birthday girl helps the homeless in Mississippi

George Elementary first-grader Madelyn Collins just turned 7 and is already thinking more about her community than herself.

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Updated: 10:34 AM CDT Sep 27, 2013

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WEBVTT A FIRST GRADER DECIDED SHEDIDN'T WANT GIFTS FOR HERBIRTHDAY -- INSTEAD SHE WANTEDTO HELP THE HOMELESS.SHE DONATED SEVERAL HUNDREDCANNED GOODS. 16 WAPT'S BENBOWMAN HAS THE STORY.SHE JUST TURNED SEVEN... NATSPOP BUT MADELYN'S MOM SAYS THEFIRST GRADER IS ALREADY THINKINGMORE ABOUT HER COMMUNITY THANHERSELF..WE WERE RIDING DOWN THE STREETAND WE SAW PEOPLE UNDER BRIDGES.WHAT MADELYN SAW ALMOST BROUGHTHER TO TEARS.I GET SAD. I JUST SAID THAT IWANTED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.I TOLD MY MOM WHAT ARE THOSEPEOPLE DOING UNDER THE BRIDGES?AND I TOLD HER THAT THOSEPEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE HOMES TO GOTO. THAT'S WHEN MADELYN DECIDEDTO ACT...SO I TOLD MY MOM, INSTEAD OFGIFTS,I WANT PEOPLE TO BRING CANNEDGOODS TO GATEWAY. SHE GOT HERPARENTS, CLASSMATES AND THEENTIRE GEORGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLTO DONATE MORE THAN 300 CANNEDGOODS TO THE HOMELESS.MADELYN SAID THE IDEA CAME TOHER BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO BE THECHANGE NEEDED IN HER COMMUNITY.NATS DANCING MISSISSIPPIPUBLIC BROADCASTING SAW WHATMADELYN DID AND SURPRISED HERWITH A VISIT FROM HER FAVORITECHARACTER... NATSIT'S BECAUSE OF THESE TYPE OFTRAITS THAT SHE WILL REAP THEBENEFITS LATER IN LIFE...BEN: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BEWHEN YOU GROW UP? MADELYN: IWANT TO BE A DENTIST BECAUSETHEY'RESMART AND THEY HELP PEOPLE.MADELYN COLLINS-- SHOWS US THATYOU CAN BE A LITTLE GIRL ANDSTILL DO BIG THINGS. NATSIN JACKSON, NATS KIDSSCREAMING BEN BOWMAN 16 WAPTNEWS.

Birthday girl helps the homeless in Mississippi

George Elementary first-grader Madelyn Collins just turned 7 and is already thinking more about her community than herself.